Behind the Scenes: Guiding Principals

Why we call PCMA’s annual Meeting 'Convening Leaders'

Author:
Michelle Russell

Michelle Russell

It’s a wrap. As I write this, PCMA Convening Leaders 2017 (CL) just successfully concluded in Austin, and our work at Convene is just beginning. In the months to come, we’ll be poring over session videos taken during three days of programming, and strategizing about story ideas that came out of conversations for future content—in other words, planting the cuttings from CL in fresh soil where they can take root and grow over the next year.

A gardening metaphor in the dead of winter makes me feel hopeful — the word I think that best describes the mood at our event last month. We all seem cautiously optimistic about the growth of face-to-face events this coming year, and it feels like we’re making progress in promoting the important work of event organizers. It’s not themed Convening Leaders because we market only to the C-suite, but because we believe everyone can take a leadership role when it comes to planning and executing a business event.

Let’s face it: There’s no lack of man-agers, supervisors, and bosses. Many organizations are fortunate to have visionaries with smart ideas about their future growth. But that doesn’t automatically make them leaders.

In fact, the best examples of leadership are often not found at the top. And as more organizations become less hierarchical and ﬂatter in structure, leadership is less about managing—and more about relating to — others. Having a sense of humility, behaving with integrity, accepting responsibility for decisions you make, both good and bad, caring more about people than appearances, empowering others over asserting authority, taking initiative—to me, these are essential qualities of leadership.

It’s a more aspirational approach to our work, regardless of title or status. And it echoes how Randy Tanaka encouraged event professionals to think about their roles when he shared during a Convening Leaders session last month what he learned as the president and CEO of the host committee of the world’s largest conservation congress.

Responsible for bringing more than 10,000 people from nearly every country on Earth to Hawaii last September to discuss the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to eradicating disease, Randy thinks that event organizers can have a more positive impact on the world, regardless of the industry they serve. He urged his CL audience to view their events through the lens of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which address 17 areas, including poverty, hunger, responsible consumption, job creation, and innovation.

These goals are so well aligned with the nature of the meetings industry that taking the next step to more intentionally bring one or several of them into sharp focus at your event seems only logical. That, as Randy suggested, is when you’re thinking like a leader.

What’s included?

Earn & Learn
Maintain your professional certifications with our industry-leading content for CMP and CASE in one convenient location.

30+ PCMA Webinars On Demand
Get the latest on technology, marketing, “how tos” and trends to push your events to the next level.

Checklists and Templates
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CASE Online Course

What is CASE?

The Certified Association Sales Executive 10 module online course is an interactive, self-paced, certificate course that fills your knowledge gaps, builds your business acumen and teaches you how to become an association mastermind. Discover how to anticipate the needs of your clients and be perceived as a partner, not just a vendor.

What’s Included?

Each of the first 9 modules features a self-assessment quiz to test your knowledge and ensure you have retained the course material

Modules 2-10 lead you through the steps to build an effective Account Plan for a client of your choosing; through research exercises and a SWOT Analysis you’ll identify opportunities on how you can best partner with your customers in the future

The course culminates with you presenting your strategic solutions to your target client and then guides you through a goal setting exercise you can apply to your future endeavors

Business Event Bootcamp

Take the next step to becoming an Event Producing rock star!

The strategies critical to keep business events vibrant, compelling and successful are constantly changing. Enter, the PCMA Business Event Bootcamp.

This online and self-paced event course is designed to give you and/or your team unlimited access to the latest trends and critical information for successful event planning.

Earn approved CE toward your CMP and CAE

Each module can be purchased separately for a customized learning program

Cost effective solution, built for your busy schedule

How can a team benefit?

Some corporations or associations don’t have the luxury of in house training that keeps their teams up on the latest success strategies for events. What happens after training is just as important as what happens during training.

Each module in the Business Event Bootcamp training program comes with a facilitator’s guide for team leaders. This guide is designed to help you navigate your team through each lesson and reinforce learning in the days and weeks following the training courses. Within each guide, you’ll have access to practical activities, reflection questions, and tools to take your team deeper into the course content and facilitate on-going conversations on the topics covered.